There’s just something about an animated GIF. They’re not the smooth, professional masterpieces we see from professional screencasters. Instead, they’re the link you post to your Tumblr blog, text to your friend or crowd around your coworker’s desk to enjoy for just a moment.
When we read this article honoring Steve Wilhite, the creator of the GIF format, we couldn’t help but think of the wide, wide world of animated GIF magic. At TechSmith, we like to think we’ve helped that magic happen by offering an animated GIF output in Camtasia Studio. So we asked TechSmith employees, “What’s your favorite animated GIF?”
SUPER GIF
TechSmithies did not disappoint, sharing dozens of animated GIFs. Allow us to present, the TechSmith SUPER GIF!
Ready to join the fun? Camtasia Studio will output an animated GIF for your meme pleasure. Our friends in user assistance created a quick how-to to make sure you can join the craze.
Can’t view the embedded video? Watch it on YouTube.
From the Camtasia GIF-Making Archive
Before we go, allow us to take you on a GIF journey back in time. The year is 1999. Our Chief Technology Officer, Dean Craven, is writing and rewriting, optimizing and researching code for the Camtasia GIF output. Along with a few choice GIFs, Dean also sent along a piece of the animated GIF output code.
NERD ALERT
// Use the region of change, found earlier, to fill the pixels that have not changed with our transparent color.
// This performs the wonderful animated GIF transparency optimization. By changing pixels that have not changed to a single transparent color, GIF's LZW compression gains better compression.
for(ii = 0; ii < nItems; ii++)
{ L_GetBitmapListItem(hGIFList, ii, &Bitmap);
if( L_BitmapHasRgn( &Bitmap ) )
{ Bitmap.Flags.Transparency = TRUE;
Bitmap.Transparency = RGB(254,254,254);
L_FillBitmap( &Bitmap, RGB(254,254,254) );
L_FreeBitmapRgn( &Bitmap );
L_SetBitmapListItem(hGIFList, ii, &Bitmap);
}
}
Indeed, we were inspired too.
Poll: Weigh in on the “G” Question
GIF-Father Steve Wilhite insists GIF is pronounced with the soft ‘g’ sound, like the peanut butter.
Can’t see the embedded poll? View it at Polldaddy.
We’ve shared our favorites and shown you how to create your own animated GIF magic. So, what’s your favorite animated GIF? Leave a link in the comments below.
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